Elevator call recording device

ABSTRACT

An elevator call registration system is equipped with a touch panel display, and a processing operation section that registers an operation from the touch panel display into an elevator control unit. The processing operation section detects the position of a user&#39;s touch to a touch panel, ticks time in synchronization with the start of the touch to the touch panel, and measures the time ticked away. A prescribed first time limit and the measured time are compared with each other, and voice guidance related to the detected touch position is provided after the measured time exceeds the first time limit.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an elevator call registration system,and more particularly, to an elevator call registration system thatprovides voice guidance to visually handicapped persons.

BACKGROUND ART

As such a kind of conventional elevator call registration system, therehas been known one in which in an automatic operation type elevator, acall registration device is equipped with a braille plate with braillerepresentation capable of being operated by visually handicappedpersons, and a sensor is attached to the braille plate for detectingthat a human body touches or contacts the braille plate, so that thecontent of the braille on the braille plate thus touched or contacted isbroadcast and guided, based on a detection signal from the sensor, withvoice by means of a voice guidance device (for example, see Japanesepatent application laid-open No. 9-110319).

In addition, an elevator operation control device has been known inwhich inside an elevator or at a hall side, there is installed anoperation panel with operation buttons arranged thereon for instructingelevator operations, and which serves to recognize a visuallyhandicapped person and switch the operation of the elevator into anoperation mode for visually handicapped persons, so that when a handtouch to a face plate, on which the operation buttons are arranged, isdetected, and when another hand touch (i.e., to a touch sensor) otherthan the hand touch to the face plate is detected, a visuallyhandicapped person is recognized on the condition that an operationbutton is pushed within a predetermined period of time from suchdetection, and the determination of recognition is reset on thecondition that there is no pushing operation (for example, see Japanesepatent application laid-open No. 2001-2331).

However, recent elevator call registration systems are provided with atouch panel display in order to enhance the contents of guidance. Forexample, such a system includes a sensor that is installed on each hallof an elevator for detecting the walking speed of a user, a white cane,etc., a weak person determining section that determines, based on thedetection result of this sensor, whether users include a weak personsuch as an old person, a visually handicapped person, etc., anannouncement instruction section that increases the volume of anannouncement in an elevator car and at the same time switches thecontent of the announcement when a weak person is detected by the weakperson determining section, and a touch panel control section thatimproves the visibility and operability of a touch panel operationsection in the car upon detection of the weak person by the weak persondetermining section. Moreover, the display size or contrast is intendedto be increased for improved visibility of the touch panel operationsection, the size of each button is increased to ease pressing forimproved operability of the touch panel operation section, and minute orfine operation guidance is carried out for switching of the announcementcontent (for example, see Japanese patent application laid-open No.2002-53273).

However, the conventional elevator call registration system equippedwith the touch panel display, though including the weak persondetermining section for detecting visually handicapped persons, posesthe following problems. That is, upon detection of a white cane or thelike, those which resemble a white cane are detected by mistake, ordetection is impossible at rush hours or crowded times, or voiceguidance flows uselessly at the use of an able-bodied person.

Also, there are additional problems as stated below. When a quick traceis conducted by a user, or when touch is frequently repeated, aplurality of control contents are successively guided by voice, so thatthe user might easily make a mistake in recognizing an area to beoperated, and noise in the surroundings of the elevator hall becomeslarge.

Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide anelevator call registration system in which when a visually handicappedperson uses an elevator, a user's call can be registered by providingaccurate voice guidance without especially installing any weak persondetermining section for detecting visually handicapped persons.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention resides in an elevator call registration systemwhich is equipped with a touch panel display serving for callregistration in accordance with a touch position thereon, and aprocessing operation section for registering an elevator call into anelevator control unit based on an operation of a user on the touch paneldisplay, characterized in that the processing operation sectionincludes: a position information detection section that detects theposition of a touch of the user to the touch panel display; a timer unithaving a first timer section that counts time from the start of thetouch to the touch panel display; a time measurement and comparisonsection that compares a count value of the first timer section with aprescribed time limit; a voice guidance section that serves to providevoice guidance related to the touch position detected after the time ofthe touch to the touch panel display exceeds the prescribed time limit;and a call registration section serving to register a call correspondingto the detected touch position into the elevator control unit when thetime of the touch to the touch panel display is shorter than the timelimit, and the call registration section also registering, after thevoice guidance has been given, a call corresponding to the detectedtouch position into the elevator control unit when the time of the touchis longer than the time limit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration view of one example of an elevatorcall registration system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration view of a processing operation section of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of the operation sequence of an elevator callregistration system according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the operation sequence of an elevator callregistration system according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiment 1

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration view of an elevator call registrationsystem of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a configuration view of aprocessing operation section of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a flow chart of theoperation sequence of the elevator call registration system according toa first embodiment of the present invention.

In each of call registration devices 1, a touch panel control section 6includes a touch panel 2 that is adapted to be operated by a user, adisplay 3 that serves to display a panel screen of this touch panel, anda touch panel control section 4 and a display control section 5 thatcontrol these touch panel and display, respectively. A communicationsection 10 communicates call registrations and the like to an elevatorcontrol unit 18 through a communication path 26. A voice guidancecontrol section 11 provides voice guidance through a speaker 25.

A control section 7 serves to control the touch panel display 6, thecommunication section 10 and the voice guidance control section 11, andincludes a processing operation section 8 and a storage section 9 thatperform display control of the touch panel display 6 as well as voiceguidance and elevator car call registration in accordance with inputs tothese touch panel display, communication section and voice guidancecontrol section.

The processing operation section 8 includes a position informationdetection section 12 that detects a touch or contact position of a userwith respect to the touch panel 2. A timer unit 15 includes a firsttimer section 13 that counts or measures time in synchronization withthe start of a touch or contact of the user to the touch panel 2, asecond timer section 14 that counts or measures time in synchronizationwith the end of the user's touch or contact to the touch panel 2, a timemeasurement and comparison section 16 that compares the count value ofthe first timer section 13 or the second timer section 14 with aprescribed time limit, a voice guidance section 17 that makes the voiceguidance control section 11 provide voice guidance in correspondence tothe user's touch or contact position thus detected, and a callregistration section 19 that registers a call corresponding to thedetected touch or contact position into the elevator control unit 18through the communication section 10.

The storage section 9 includes a display information storage section 20that stores information on graphics or pictures to be displayed on thedisplay 3, a voice information storage section 21 that stores voiceinformation to be used by the voice guidance control section 11, and amemory section 24 having a program storage memory section 22 and aworking memory section 23 for the processing operation section 8.

The voice guidance section 17 serves to read voice information from thevoice information storage section 21, controls the voice guidancecontrol section 11, and broadcasts and guides the voice information bythe use of the speaker 25. In addition, the call registration section 19registers an elevator car call into the elevator control unit 18 via thecommunication section 10 based on the touch or contact positioninformation detected by the position information detection section 12.

Here, note that the storage section 9 may be any kind of storage devicesor storage elements such as a hard disk drive, a nonvolatile memory, ora memory requiring aperiodic write and hold operation, etc., or its somecomponents may be constituted as the same storage device or element.

The processing operation section 8 operates based on the programs storedin the program storage memory section 22 while using the working memorysection 23. In addition, the timer unit 15 may be constituted bysoftware or hardware.

The processing operation section 8 takes or reads out displayinformation to be displayed on the display 3 from the displayinformation storage section 20, and sends it to the touch panel controlsection 5. The display information includes display coordinates and adisplay content. The touch panel control section 5 displays the displaycontent in an area of the display 3 corresponding to the displaycoordinates based on the display information. The touch panel 2 isarranged on the front side with respect to the user of the display 3,with the display coordinates of the display 3 being made to coincidewith the touch or contact coordinates of the touch panel 2. The user caninput a desired operation content into the call registration device 1 byconducting a desired operation displayed on the display 3, such as forexample by touching or contacting an area of the touch panel 2corresponding to an area of the display 3 in which the desired displaycontent is displayed among display contents such as floor numbersrelated to the registration of a destination floor. When the usertouches the touch panel 2, the touch panel control section 4 sends anevent of the touch panel 2 having been touched as well as the touchcoordinates of the touch panel 2 thus touched to the processingoperation section 8. Also, the touch panel control section 4 sendsinformation on the end of the user's touch or contact to the processingoperation section 8. The processing operation section 8 compares thetouch coordinates thus sent with the display coordinates of theinformation displayed on the display 3, determines what the operationcontent selected by the user is, provides, as necessary, voice guidancethrough the speaker 25, and registers the operation content thusdetermined in the elevator control unit 18. The voice guidance section11 reads out voice information corresponding to the display coordinatesand the touch coordinates from the voice information storage section 21,and lets it be broadcast and guided by the speaker 25 in the voiceguidance control section 11.

The working memory section 23 stores therein 500 milliseconds, 2seconds, and 100 milliseconds as a first time limit, a second timelimit, and a third time limit, respectively. These time limits are setto the typical values for the sake of explanation, but they are notnecessarily limited to these values.

One or more call registration devices 1 are installed in each hall andeach car, respectively, and connected to the elevator control unit 18through the communication path 26, so that the control corresponding toan operation conducted by a user is notified to the elevator controlunit 18 through the communication path 26.

The elevator control unit 18 allocates or dispatches elevator cars inaccordance with an operation input such as, for instance, a callregistration.

Next, reference will be made to the operation of the elevator callregistration system of FIG. 1. In step (hereinafter referred to simplyas S) 101, the touch panel control section 4 detects the presence orabsence of a user's touch or contact to the touch panel 2. When thetouch or contact is present, the presence of the touch or contact issent to the processing operation section 8, and the control flowadvances to S102, whereas when absent, a return is performed to S101.

In S102, the processing operation section 8 makes the first timersection 13 of the timer unit 15 start counting or measuring time insynchronization with the presence of the touch or contact sent from thetouch panel control section 4.

In S103, the position information detection section 12 detects thecontact coordinates of an area in which the touch panel 2 has beentouched or contacted, and obtains information of the contactcoordinates.

In S104, the time measurement and comparison section 16 determineswhether the touch or contact is continued. When the touch or contact iscontinued, the control flow advances to S105, whereas when the touch orcontact is interrupted, the control flow advances to S114.

In S105, the time measurement and comparison section 16 obtains thevalue of the time counted or measured by the first timer section 13,assumes the thus obtained time value as a measurement time A, anddetermines whether the measurement time A is more than or equal to thefirst time limit of 500 milliseconds read out from the working memorysection 23. When it is more than or equal to 500 milliseconds, thecontrol flow advances to S106, whereas when it is less than 500milliseconds, a return to S104 is performed. In S105, when the touch orcontact is continued for a period of time more than or equal to 500milliseconds, the time measurement and comparison section 16 makes adetermination that the user is a visually handicapped person. Here, notethat in an ordinary operation of an able-bodied person, the time forwhich the user makes touch or contact is about 300 millisecond at most.

In S106, the voice guidance section 17 reads out the voice informationrelated to an operation content corresponding to the touch or contactcoordinates of the touched or contacted area of the touch panel 2 fromthe voice information storage section 21, and provides voice guidance bythe speaker 25 through the voice guidance control section 11.

In S107, the time measurement and comparison section 16 determineswhether the touch or contact is being continued. When the touch orcontact is being continued, the control flow advances to S108, whereaswhen the touch or contact is interrupted, the control flow advances toS111.

In S108, the time measurement and comparison section 16 obtains thecount value of the first timer section 13, assumes the thus obtainedtime value as a measurement time B, and determines whether themeasurement time B is more than or equal to the second time limit of 2seconds read out from the working memory section 23. When it is morethan or equal to 2 seconds, the control flow advances to S109, whereaswhen it is less than 2 seconds, a return is performed to S107. If theusual name of a destination floor such as, for example, “fourth floor”is guided by voice, the touch or contact generally ends in about 1second. Accordingly, when the touch or contact is continued for a periodof time of 2 seconds or more, it is determined that the user expectsfurther detailed guidance.

In S109, the voice guidance section 17 reads more detailed voiceinformation related to an operation content corresponding to the touchor contact coordinates of the touched or contacted area of the touchpanel 2 from the voice information storage section 21, and providesvoice guidance by the speaker 25. For example, it is the guidance of thedestination floor (“children's clothing department”, “dining roomfloor”, etc.).

In S110, the call registration section 19 sends information on user'sdestination floor or the like to the elevator control unit 18 via thecommunication path 26, and completes the call registration.

On the other hand, when the detection of the touch or contact is lost orinterrupted in S104, the control flow advances to S114 where the timerunit 15 starts counting or measuring time by the second timer section14.

In S115, the time measurement and comparison section 16 obtains thecount value of the second timer section 14, assumes the thus obtainedtime value as a measurement time C, and determines whether themeasurement time C exceeds the third time limit of 100 milliseconds readout from the working memory section 23. When it exceeds 100milliseconds, the control flow advances to S110, whereas when it isbelow 100 milliseconds, the control flow advances to S116.

In S116, the touch panel control section 4 detects user's touch orcontact to the touch panel 2. When the touch or contact is detected, thepresence of the touch or contact is sent to the processing operationsection 8, and a return to S104 is carried out. On the other hand, whenthe touch or contact is not detected, a return to S115 is carried out.The processes in steps S116 through S114 are based on the assumptionthat the user stops touching or contacting unintentionally, or user'sfinger comes off the touch panel 2 by mistake, and hence when the usermakes touch or contact again within 100 milliseconds, the operation iscontinued without performing control.

Moreover, when the detection of the touch or contact disappears or islost after the voice guidance has been given in S106, the second timersection 14 is then turned on in S111.

In S112, the time measurement and comparison section 16 obtains thevalue of the time counted or measured by the second timer section 14,assumes the thus obtained time as a measurement time D, and determineswhether the measurement time D exceeds the third time limit of 100milliseconds read out from the working memory section 23. When 100milliseconds is exceeded, the control flow advances to S110, whereaswhen 100 milliseconds is not exceeded, the control flow advances toS113.

In S113, the touch panel control section 4 detects user's touch orcontact to the touch panel 2. When the touch or contact is detected,this information is sent to the processing operation section 8, and areturn to S107 is performed, whereas when the touch or contact is notdetected, a return to S112 is performed. The processes in steps S111through S113 are based on the assumption that the user stops touching orcontacting unintentionally, or user's finger comes off the touch panel 2by mistake, and hence when the user makes touch or contact again within100 milliseconds, the operation is continued without performing control.

Such an elevator call registration system determines the operation of avisually handicapped person by the time related to the operation, so itis possible to provide services in a smooth manner by giving voiceguidance as well as detailed voice guidance.

In addition, since voice guidance is provided only when it is determinedthat the user is a visually handicapped person, no voice guidance flowsin the case of use by an able-bodied person.

Moreover, even if the user touches the touch panel or stops touching it,voice guidance does not flow unless a predetermined time has elapsedtherefrom.

Embodiment 2

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the operation sequence of an elevator callregistration system according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention. FIG. 4 includes updating of location information added toFIG. 3.

Step (hereinafter referred to as S) 101 through S105 in FIG. 3 are thesame as S201 through S205 in FIG. 4, S107 through S108 are the same asS208 through S209, S110 is the same as S212, and S111 through S116 arethe same as S213 through S218, respectively.

Next, reference will be made to only those steps of FIG. 4 which aredifferent from the steps of FIG. 3. In S206, after a time durationlonger than or equal to the first time limit of 500 milliseconds haselapsed from the start of user's touch or contact, the positioninformation detection section 12 detects the touch or contactcoordinates of an area of the touch panel 2 touched or contacted by theuser, and in S202, it updates the touch or contact coordinatesinformation thus detected.

In S207, based on the thus updated touch or contact coordinatesinformation, the voice guidance section 17 reads out the voiceinformation related to an operation content corresponding to theabove-mentioned area of the touch panel 2 from the voice informationstorage section 21, and provides voice guidance by the speaker 25.

In addition, in step S210, after the second time limit of 2 seconds ormore has elapsed from the start of the touch or contact, the positioninformation detection section 12 detects the touch or contactcoordinates of the area of the touch panel 2 touched or contacted by theuser, and updates the touch or contact coordinates informationpreviously updated in S206.

In S211, based on the thus updated touch or contact coordinatesinformation, the voice guidance section 17 reads out detailed voiceinformation related to the operation content corresponding to the touchor contact coordinates of the touched or contacted area of the touchpanel 2 from the voice information storage section 21, and providesdetailed voice guidance by the speaker 25.

Since such an elevator call registration system updates the locationinformation of a time point at which a user has completed his or heroperation, the user does not recognize an area to be operated bymistake.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

Since an elevator call registration system according to the presentinvention is provided with a touch panel display, a variety of operationcontents are able to be guided to able-bodied persons, and at the sametime appropriate operation contents are also able to be provided tovisually handicapped persons through voice guidance. In addition, noiseassociated with voice guidance is limited, so an elevator hall can beinstalled in a place facing a living room.

1. An elevator call registration system which is equipped with a touchpanel display serving for call registration in accordance with a touchposition thereon, and a processing operation section for registering anelevator call into an elevator control unit based on an operation of auser on said touch panel display, characterized in that said processingoperation section comprises: a position information detection sectionthat detects the position of a touch of the user to said touch paneldisplay; a timer unit having a first timer section that counts time fromthe start of the touch to said touch panel display; a time measurementand comparison section that compares a count value of said first timersection with a prescribed time limit; a voice guidance section thatserves to provide voice guidance related to said touch position detectedafter the time of the touch to said touch panel display exceeds saidprescribed time limit; and a call registration section serving toregister a call corresponding to said detected touch position into saidelevator control unit when the time of the touch to said touch paneldisplay is shorter than said time limit, and said call registrationsection also registering, after said voice guidance has been given, acall corresponding to said detected touch position into said elevatorcontrol unit when said time of the touch is longer than said time limit.2. The elevator call registration system as set forth in claim 1,characterized in that said time measurement and comparison sectioncompares the count value of said first timer section with a prescribedfirst time limit and a prescribed second time limit that is longer thansaid first time limit, respectively; and said voice guidance sectionserves to provide voice guidance after said first time limit has elapsedfrom the start of said touch, and then provide detailed voice guidanceafter said second time limit has elapsed from the start of said touch.3. The elevator call registration system as set forth in claim 2,characterized in that said timer unit further includes a second timersection that counts time from the end of the touch to said touch paneldisplay; and said time measurement and comparison section compares thecount value of said second timer section with a prescribed third timelimit, and makes a determination that the touch to said touch paneldisplay is continued, when the touch is restarted within said third timelimit from the end of said touch.
 4. The elevator call registrationsystem as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said timer unitfurther includes a second timer section that counts time from the end ofthe touch to said touch panel display; and said time measurement andcomparison section compares the count value of said second timer sectionwith a prescribed third time limit, and makes a determination that thetouch to said touch panel display is continued, when the touch isrestarted within said third time limit from the end of said touch. 5.The elevator call registration system as set forth in claim 1,characterized in that said time measurement and comparison sectiondetects and updates the touch position on said touch panel display beingtouched after said time limit has elapsed from the start of said touch;and said voice guidance section provides voice guidance of an operationrelated to said updated touch position.
 6. The elevator callregistration system as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that saidtime measurement and comparison section detects and updates the touchposition on said touch panel display being touched after said secondtime limit has elapsed from the start of said touch; and said voiceguidance section provides detailed voice guidance of an operationrelated to said updated touch position.